Monday Tryst
by IDespiseTragedy
Summary: Rin invited Haru to eat out.


Title: Monday Tryst

Credits: Thank you so much to _dieUnerbittlicheFuchs_ for beta reading

Disclaimer: Nah, _Free!_ ain't mine; sheesh!

* * *

"I knew you'd come," Rin remarked. He had been leaning against a telephone booth, bracing against it with a foot against the pole, but stepped away from it the moment Haru approached.

"Only because the chores were done earlier than expected," Haru replied, face impassive and tone level.

A wide grin claimed Rin's lips, but he knew better than to point out that Haru had obviously rushed here despite the warning, "I can't promise I'll go."

"Where are we going anyway?"

"Oh, you'll see, Haru. You'll see."

Down the sun-flecked passageway—a side street from a wisteria-lined boulevard—the two young men walked side-by-side, their shoulders nearly bumping to each other's. Neither carried any bag so their hands were fully exposed for skin contact, too. Their fingers brushed every few steps, and Rin had a hunch that it wasn't entirely unintentional. The puffy white clouds served to intensify the blue of the sky above, and a gentle breeze filled the air with smell of bedewed grass.

Ten minutes later, they emerged at last into a narrower bypath, lined with cobble stones. Here, Haru followed Rin through a wooden gate into a deserted yard, which took them to a laurel-dotted narrower flagstone sidewalk ending at a neat terrace.

The first noticeable thing about their destination was the looming lush pergola with foliage gleaming in the sunlight like golden leaves. Below it, traditional saber-legged dining chairs with ornately carved slats surrounded small wrought iron tables of matching design, draped by tablecloths of the palest chartreuse tint. On the building's sienna wall, metal lanterns hung from the elaborate brackets. With its old timber gable projecting from a grove of trees, the restaurant looked almost like a hidden treasure. No matter where Haru looked, the place simply was an amalgamation of elegance and rustic ambience.

"Amazing, isn't it?" Rin smirked. "I found this spot while jogging."

Haru's brow quirked. "Then why did you try asking me even though you clearly know this area better than I do?"

"I was kinda saving this place for…" Rin blushed as he mumbled, "… never mind."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah, today isn't any less important than our anniver—" Rin froze for the entire span of two seconds, and judging from the heat that crept up his face, the scarlet shade on his cheeks must be turning into a deeper shade of crimson. He noticed how Haru's eyes went glassy with the excitement he normally reserved only for water, before Haru shifted closer and laced their fingers together.

In all honesty, Rin's heart to threatened to leap out of his ribcage, but he didn't let go. He had the strangest hunch that even if he were to give up skin contact with Haru, the thunderous beat of his heart wouldn't abate any moment soon.

They were still holding hands when Rin poked his head through the arched doorway to announce, "Table for two."

Haru also peeked inside, but left the talking to Rin. The room was painted cream with dangling vines from the overhanging crisscrossing wooden beams. No staff was within sight, but music filled the restaurant interior from a radio set to a classic rock-and-roll station.

' _Not an appropriate song choice for the room's décor,'_ Rin noted inwardly. But then, he and Haru were the only guests presently existing. It was the Golden Week, so people tend to flood popular tourist destinations rather than exploring a secluded part of a small town like Iwatobi.

"Coming right up." A waiter in late thirties wearing black-and-white uniform scurried out of an inner room with two menus.

"Can we sit outside?" Rin inquired.

"Yes, certainly. The weather's perfect for an alfresco dining. Feel free to choose whichever table you like." He followed the two boys but didn't put the menu on the table until both guests had settled down.

"Let me get you each a glass of water," he said before leaving the pair to peruse the menu.

Rin hastily told him, "Don't put lemon or anything else in the water, please."

"Understood." The waiter smiled. Then he turned and vanished down the hall on silent feet.

Rin went back to the menu at hand, but after a while, lifted his head and met with Haru's overt stare.

Rin blurted with flustered cheeks, "What's up?"

"I didn't expect you to remember _that_ much detail about my preferences after … years," Haru conceded.

' _Well, it isn't exactly easy to forget someone who'd strip and jump into a pool or fountain at any given opportunity.'_ Rin was paging through the menu when he noticed how quickly Haru's eyes skimmed over the pages he had been flipping, but lingered at the seafood section. He reprimanded, "And if you think you'd get away with praises, you're wrong. You aren't ordering mackerel again today!"

Haru's lips puckered momentarily in a tiny pout before he bantered, "I can choose whatever I like."

"Come on, you gotta choose something other than that nasty fish once in a while."

Defiance flared in Haru's eyes as he peeked over the menu.

"You know what … we've never ordered the same dish before. Wanna try it?"

"Not a chance! You'll definitely order some meat so spicy it'll burn my tongue."

A hearty laugh trilled Rin's mouth. "I promise I won't order anything spicy, 'kay? And if it contains meat, it'll be like a side dish—nothing too heavy for you."

Haru nodded, though not without reluctance.

"What do you think of this?" Rin laid his menu on the table for Haru to see as his index finger pointed at the picture of a soft-boiled de-shelled egg arranged harmoniously in a dinner plate with slices of cured salami and vegetable garnish. The text that accompanied it said, " _Egg Benedict_."

"Western-style _onsen tamago_ served with cold meat and side salad?" Haru mused. "I don't mind."

Rin snickered at Haru's choice of words, but uttered no verbal retort so as not to ridicule his boyfriend in front of the waiter approaching them.

The lanky man returned with a tray containing not only two glasses of water, but also a stainless steel cruet set that he immediately set at the center of the table. Noticing Haru and Rin's menus lay closed, he asked amiably, "Ready to order?"

Rin answered, "Yeah, we'll each have a dish of Egg Benedict."

"Any tea, coffee, or additional drinks?"

Rin glanced at the boy sitting opposite him. He knew Haru would never be tempted to drink anything other than pure, unflavored water every morning. Right now, consuming the same victuals as ones approved by the love of his life mattered more than his usual preferences. "No, that'd be all."

After collecting the menus, the waiter moved toward the kitchen.

A voice at the back of Rin's head told him to hold Haru's hand under the table, yet the more logical part of him was certain that Haru wouldn't appreciate such a public display of affection. "Hey, Haru, tell me more about you."

Apparently, while dealing with Haru, "more" translated as a short phrase of "nothing special," accompanied by a shrug.

Through gritted teeth, Rin rephrased his question, "When did you receive the offer to join the national team?"

Thus, Haru told Rin. Each time he finished his answer, Rin would ask a new question—his timetable, preferences, songs… To outsiders, this conversation might sound more like police interrogation than a friendly discourse, but at least neither party was bothered. Rin had always told Haru so much about himself, so it was only fair that every now and then he listened to Haru in return. Besides, it wasn't as if he could ever get enough drinking in Haru's beauty as they conversed.

Fifteen minutes later, the waiter reappeared with a white plate on each hand. "Enjoy your meal."

Rin couldn't help but feel a tad dispirited as he watched Haru languidly shoving the fork into the soft egg yolk. Accustomed to light breakfasts, Haru must be merely trying to finish the food for Rin's sake.

This changed the moment Haru glanced at Rin's hunched shoulders, though. To make amend, Haru ate with gusto and pretended he enjoyed the food more than he actually was.

Exhaling in relief, Rin then began to dig in.

A few bites later, Haru ate more slowly. He spent more time looking at Rin's direction than at the plate before him.

"Is there something on my face?" Rin asked, his hand poising to pick up the napkin.

"No, but I wish there were some egg yolk smeared onto your cheek so that I have an excuse to lick it."

Rin's fork clattered against his plate.


End file.
